Written Answers Thursday 27 January 2011

Scottish Executive

Alcohol

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the health impact of a minimum price of 45p per unit of alcohol would be compared with the UK Government’s proposal to ban the sale of alcohol below the rate of duty plus VAT.

Nicola Sturgeon: The UK Government’s proposal would create a range of minimum prices, typically in the region of 20 to 25 pence per unit of alcohol depending on the product. This means the retail price of drinks will not change and the policy will have little or no impact on deaths, chronic and acute illness and violent crime.

  By contrast, a 45p minimum price would save 225 lives per year, reduce chronic and acute illnesses by 2,600 per year, reduce crimes by the same amount, and would generate a harm reduction value of £721 million over the first 10 years.

Bridges

Tricia Marwick (Central Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average annual saving for a commuter has been since the abolition of tolls on the Forth Road Bridge.

Keith Brown: On abolition in 2007, the tolls on the Forth Road Bridge (FRB) for cars and light goods vehicles were £1 per crossing. North bound only.

  This meant an annual cost of tolls of £230 per annum (based on a five-day working week over a 46-week working year, assuming six weeks holiday per annum). Frequent user discount vouchers were available on the FRB. If these were used then the reduced rate of £0.90 was applied and the annual cost would have been £207 per annum based on the same conditions above.

Bridges

Joe FitzPatrick (Dundee West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average annual saving for a commuter has been since the abolition of tolls on the Tay Bridge.

Keith Brown: On abolition in 2007, the toll on the Tay Road Bridge for cars and light goods vehicles was £0.80 per crossing, southbound tolling only.

  This would have meant an annual cost of tolls of £184 per annum (based on a  five-day working week over a 46-week working year, assuming six weeks holiday per annum).

Central Heating

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27374 by Alex Neil on 24 September 2009, whether it has a date by which it expects the Home Insulation Scheme to be rolled out to all areas of Scotland.

Alex Neil: Further roll-out of the Home Insulation Scheme will depend on the financial support for the scheme from future administrations.

Courts

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to build a new sheriff court in Inverness.

Kenny MacAskill: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court Service (SCS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCS who will reply in writing.

Culture

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much public funding Arts and Business Scotland received in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and has received for (c) 2010-11.

Fiona Hyslop: Arts and Business Scotland received public funding, from the Scottish Government and other national organisations, of:

  (a) £462,000 in 2008-09 plus lottery funding of £32,650.

  (b) £484,400 in 2009-10 plus lottery funding of £21,930.

  (c) £485,000 has been allocated for 2010-11.

Drug Misuse

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much the prescribing of methadone costs per year, broken down by NHS board.

Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-31787 on 1 April 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx

  Further information on the prescribing costs of methadone is available on the NHS Scotland Information Services Division Scotland website, using the following link:

  http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/1.html.

Education

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide the equivalent funding in Scotland to match the up to £2 million announced by the UK Government to improve security at Jewish faith schools in England.

Angela Constance: The Scottish Government is mindful of the importance of school security for pupils and staff at all schools across Scotland. The resources provided within the local government settlement reflect the need for school security measures, although it is for each authority to decide on the extent, focus and detail of such expenditure. If any particular problems are experienced by any faith school the Scottish Government is prepared to discuss them with that school.

Education

Elizabeth Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to merge the strategic and support functions of Skills Development Scotland, the Scottish Funding Council, the Scottish Qualifications Authority, the Student Awards Agency for Scotland and the Scottish Education Quality and Improvement Agency

Angela Constance: As we made clear in 2007, the Scottish Government is determined to simplify and streamline the public bodies’ landscape in Scotland, reducing costs and bureaucracy, while improving service delivery. We continue to consider all of our public bodies in this context.

Energy

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown by local authority area of the number of jobs associated with each of the categories set out in figure 2.2 of Energy in Scotland: A Compendium of Scottish Energy Statistics and Information, December 2010 .

Jim Mather: The low carbon environmental goods and services data in figure 2.2 of the Energy in Scotland report provides an estimate of low carbon jobs by sector at a national level or by local authority at an aggregated level. The methodology that underpins the data in figure 2.2 is, however, not designed for sectoral interrogation at a local authority level.

  More detail on the methodology and content of the data in figure 2.2 of the Energy in Scotland report will be available from the Scottish low carbon environmental goods and services sector study, which is currently being finalised and will be published prior to the dissolution of the Parliament.

Energy

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown by local authority area of sales of low-carbon and environmental goods and services, as set out in figure 2.4 of Energy in Scotland: A Compendium of Scottish Energy Statistics and Information, December 2010 .

Jim Mather: The low carbon environmental goods and services data in figure 2.4 of the Energy in Scotland report provides an estimate of low carbon sales by sector at a national level or by local authority at an aggregated level. The methodology that underpins the data in figure 2.4 is, however, not designed for sectoral interrogation at a local authority level.

  More detail on the methodology and content of the data in figure 2.4 of the Energy in Scotland report will be available from the Scottish low carbon environmental goods and services sector study, which is currently being finalised and will be published prior to the dissolution of the Parliament.

Energy

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide figures for the Scottish share of UK (a) crude oil, (b) gas and (c) coal production, as set out in figures 3.1, 3.2 and 3.4 of Energy in Scotland: A Compendium of Scottish Energy Statistics and Information, December 2010 .

Jim Mather: Official statistics on the Scottish share of UK (a) crude oil and (b) gas are not available. However, research carried out by Alex Kemp and Linda Stephen from the University of Aberdeen provides estimates of a hypothetic Scottish share of production, expenditure and revenues from the UK Continental Shelf based on a detailed financial model of the North Sea oil and gas industry. This research has been used in Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland and is available at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/06/UKContinentalShelfRevenue.

  A full disaggregation of annual coal production is available from the Coal Authority website at:

  http://www.coal.gov.uk/publications/miningtechnology/index.cfm.

  For ease of reference a Scottish disaggregation of the coal production statistics provided in Figure 2.4 of the Energy in Scotland report is as follows:

  In the period from April 1999 to March 2000, Scotland’s share of total UK coal production was 23.8%;

  In the period from January 2009 to December 2009 Scotland’s share of total UK coal production was 34.9%.

Energy

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of (a) UK and (b) Scottish coal production, as set out in figure 3.4 of Energy in Scotland: A Compendium of Scottish Energy Statistics and Information, December 2010 , was related to (i) underground and (ii) opencast mining.

Jim Mather: A full disaggregation of annual coal production is available from the Coal Authority website at http://www.coal.gov.uk/publications/miningtechnology/index.cfm .

  For ease of reference the relevant proportion of UK and Scottish coal production attributable to both surface and underground mining is reported below.

  (a) The UK (April 1999 to March 2000):

  (i) Surface mining accounted for 43.2% of UK coal production.

  (ii) Underground mining accounted for 56.8% of UK coal production.

  (a) The UK (January 2009 to December 2009):

  (i) Surface mining accounted for 56.4% of UK coal production.

  (ii) Underground mining accounted for 43.6% of UK coal production.

  (b) Scotland (April 1999 to March 2000):

  (i) Surface mining accounted for 87.8% of Scottish coal production.

  (ii) Underground mining accounted for 12.2% of Scottish coal production.

  (b) Scotland (January 2009 to December 2009):

  (i) Surface mining accounted for 100% of Scottish coal production.

  (ii) Underground mining accounted for 0% of Scottish coal production.

Energy

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the value of coal production (a) has been in each of the last 10 years and (b) is forecast to be in each of the next 10 years.

John Swinney: This information is not held centrally.

  However, historic estimates of the volume of coal production in both Scotland and the UK can be found at the Coal Authority website at:

  http://www.coal.gov.uk/publications/miningtechnology/index.cfm.

Environment

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) status and (b) role of the Draft Electricity Generation Policy Statement 2010 will be in (i) decisions on planning applications, (ii) the preparation of development plans, (iii) decisions on applications under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 and (iv) marine planning.

Jim Mather: Statements of Government policy can be expected to inform the development of policies in development plans and marine plans. The decision maker may have regard to a Draft Statement of Government policy when considering a planning or Electricity Act application, although the weight given to it would be a matter for the decision maker to determine when reaching a decision on that application.

Environment

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive on what date it will adopt the policies laid out in the Draft Electricity Generation Policy Statement 2010.

Jim Mather: Following strategic environmental assessment process outlined in the answer to question S3W-38634 on 27 January 2011, the Scottish Government will review the evidence gathered before formally adopting the policies in the Draft Electricity Generation Policy Statement later in 2011.

  The policies will be formally adopted in time to meet the statutory reporting requirement set out in s.38 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Environment

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will carry out an environmental assessment of the policies laid out in the Draft Electricity Generation Policy Statement 2010 and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government published a draft version of the Electricity Generation Policy Statement to coincide with the publication of the Report on Proposals and Policies (RPP). The RPP has common proposals and was subject to a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) within the terms of the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005. This draft publication of the Policy Statement was to provide the committee with sufficient information in order to scrutinise the RPP and the analytical assumptions on which it was based.

  It is therefore our intention following this process to establish what elements within Electricity Generation Policy Statement require further assessment within the terms of the 2005 act and to undertake in the coming months a meaningful assessment and consultation on those elements.

Environment

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what studies have been carried out in relation to the use of neonicotinoid insecticides and their effects.

Richard Lochhead: A wide range of studies on neonicotinoids are submitted as part of the pesticide approval process. Additional research has been carried out by government and other organisations.

  There are currently three Defra-funded research and development projects on the use of neonicotinoids. These are (a) potential impacts of synergism between systemic seed treatments and sprayed fungicides in crops, (b) assessing the impact of guttation on non-target arthropods, design of extended laboratory and field studies, and (c) assessing the impact of pesticides on honeybee brood evaluation of effects using the OECD Guidance document 75.

Environment

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance has been issued to Scottish National Heritage and the Scottish Agricultural College in relation to the use of neonicotinoid insecticides.

Richard Lochhead: No specific guidance on the use of neonicotinoid insecticides has been issued to Scottish Natural Heritage or the Scottish Agricultural College.

  However, there is extensive guidance on the appropriate use of pesticides in the Pesticides Code of Practice for using plant protection products in Scotland. This is a practical guide for pesticide users and also refers to the various pieces of legislation covering the use of plant protection products. The code is aimed at pesticide users within agriculture, horticulture, forestry and the amenity sectors.

Fair Trade

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to promote Fairtrade Fortnight 2011 to public bodies.

Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Fair Trade Forum (SFTF) receives core funding from the Scottish Government to drive forward this government’s commitment to become one of the world’s first Fair Trade Nations.

  During previous Fairtrade Fortnights, I and other ministerial colleagues have participated in a number of Fair Trade events in Scotland and I look forward to doing so again this year.

  The SFTF leads on wider activities for Fairtrade Fortnight and my officials are in regular contact with them to identify where the Scottish Government can add value to the promotion of Fairtrade Fortnight 2011.

Fair Trade

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what it can do to support the Scottish Fair Trade Forum in its Countdown Campaign and whether it will encourage local authorities who have not made a commitment to fair trade to do so.

Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Fair Trade Forum (SFTF) receives core funding from the Scottish Government to drive forward this Government’s commitment to become one of the world’s first fair trade nations.

  My officials work closely with the SFTF and Scottish Government ministers have previously written to local authorities actively encouraging them to support the Fair Trade Nation campaign.

  I am very pleased that the majority of local authorities are now active in the Fair Trade Nation campaign and in consultation with the SFTF I will continue to actively encourage all sectors of Scottish society to engage with the Fair Trade Nation campaign.

Finance

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of its mail was despatched by (a) the Royal Mail and (b) other carriers in the last year and at what cost per carrier.

John Swinney: In the financial year 2009-10, the Scottish Government sent the following mail volumes and incurred costs with the following carriers

  

Carrier
Mail Volume (items)
Cost(£)


Royal Mail
376,076
466,848


Hays
2,873
3,285


ParcelForce
50
606


FedEx
1,566
49,514


DHL
6,162
220,047

Finance

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate is of the impact of the rise in the cost of a (a) first class stamp to 46p and (b) second class stamp to 36p on the budget of (i) the Scottish Government, (ii) each Scottish Government directorate and (iii) the NHS in 2010-11.

John Swinney: The estimated impact of the rise in the cost of a (a) first class stamp to 46p and (b) second class stamp to 36p on the budget of the Scottish Government is (a) £45 and (b) £14. This equates to an overall increase of 16% per annum in that part of the postal budget (which will impact on all Scottish Government directorates).

  The overall Scottish Government postal spend figure was £466,848 in 2009-10 annum (excluding courier services). Of that figure, stamped mail accounted for £319. The increase of stamped mail against the overall Scottish Government postal spend figure represents an increase of 0.001%.

  The Scottish Executive is unable to provide the estimated impact on (ii) each Scottish Government directorate and (iii) the NHS in 2010-11. The NHS does not hold this information centrally and the Scottish Government’s Royal Mail postal services’ reporting does not go to directorate level.

Finance

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3O-12587 by Jim Mather on 13 January 2011, whether any of the £32 million invested came from a source other than the Scottish Co-investment Fund, the Scottish Venture Fund and the Scottish Seed Fund.

Jim Mather: Primarily, the investment activity would be delivered through the Scottish Co-investment Fund, the Scottish Venture Fund and the Scottish Seed Fund. Some 90% of the investments in 2009-10 relate to these funds.

  In addition, Scottish Enterprise, through the Scottish Investment Bank team, delivers a Portfolio Fund to support follow on investment activity and can also invest directly in businesses, which accounted for £3.4 million investment in 2009-10. Full performance details on investment activity are published in the Scottish Enterprise Investments 2009-10 annual review, available through the Scottish Enterprise website.

Finance

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it has received from the Migration Impacts Fund and how this has been spent, in each of the last three years.

John Swinney: In line with Barnett consequentials, the Scottish Government received transfers of £4.153 milliom funding for the Migration Impacts Fund (2009-11). Consequentials accrue to the Scottish Block as a whole and it is for ministers to decide how the additional spending should be allocated. I can confirm that this funding went towards priorities within the Scottish Budget.

Fisheries

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many salmon farm inspections have taken place in each month in each of the last three years and what the results of each inspection were, broken down by farm.

Richard Lochhead: The number of salmon farm inspections which have taken place in each month in each of the last three years is summarised in the following table:

  

 
Number of Cases Negative or No Results
Number of Cases Positive
Total Number of Cases


2010
 
 
 


January
12
0
12


February
44
4
48


March
59
8
67


April
25
1
26


May
39
6
45


June
80
0
80


July
8
1
9


August
14
2
16


September
15
1
16


October
37
2
39


November
37
1
38


December
16
2
18


Totals
386
28
414


2009
 
 
 


January
44
13
57


February
66
4
70


March
57
4
61


April
31
4
35


May
44
13
57


June
68
5
73


July
35
6
41


August
29
5
34


September
45
1
46


October
60
8
68


November
75
4
79


December
23
2
25


Totals
577
69
646


2008
 
 
 


January
17
1
18


February
41
2
43


March
40
2
42


April
54
5
59


May
13
3
16


June
64
2
66


July
36
7
43


August
15
1
16


September
27
3
30


October
54
1
55


November
86
3
89


December
25
3
28


Totals
472
33
505



  The results of each inspection broken down by farm, is given in a table entitled Scottish fish farm inspection results 2008-10 and key to results codes,

  a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 52355).

Fisheries

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) outbreaks of sea lice infestation and (b) fish escapes have been found at salmon farms in each of the last three years.

Richard Lochhead: Sea lice are natural parasitic fauna of farmed and wild salmon populations and as such some evidence of infection is apparent on any population of farmed salmon when inspecting populations held on aquaculture sites in Scotland. The number of inspections carried out is detailed in S3W 38554 answered on 27 January 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

  The number of escapes incidents over the last three years at salmon farms is:

  

2008
 


Freshwater
 1


Seawater
 7


2009
 


Freshwater
 2


Seawater
 7


2010
 


Freshwater
 2


Seawater
 5

Fuel Poverty

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27365 by Alex Neil on 24 September 2009, how many households the Home Insulation Scheme (HIS) took out of fuel poverty in 2009-10 and what proportion of households in fuel poverty in each selected area this represented.

Alex Neil: This information is not held centrally.

  The Scottish House Condition Survey measures the impact of all energy efficiency measures installed in the housing stock each year.

  In order to tackle fuel poverty, the Home Insulation Scheme provides intensive promotion of a range of energy efficiency programmes and related support to householders on the door-step in specific areas. In addition to insulation measures, HIS ensures that households that are likely to be fuel poor in targeted areas are systematically offered support from the Scottish Government’s fuel poverty programme, the Energy Assistance Package. In respect of HIS areas supported by 2009-10 budgets, this has provided:

  - 4,503 referrals to benefits checks to increase incomes

  - 10,419 referrals for tariff checks to reduce fuel costs

  - 4,226 referrals for heating systems and other measures.

Housing

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made an assessment of the impact on households in Scotland of the changes made by the UK Government to the housing benefit system.

Alex Neil: As well as contributing to the UK Government’s Housing Benefit impact study for the UK, we have carried out a Scotland specific assessment. The findings are set out in the paper entitled "Housing Benefit changes: Scottish Impact Assessment", which is available at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/Housing/supply-demand/chma/marketcontextmaterials/hbchangesscottishimpact/.

Housing

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made an estimate of how many households in Scotland will be affected by the changes made by the UK Government to the housing benefit system and what proportion of households will be worse off.

Alex Neil: The Scottish Government has carried out an assessment in our paper "Housing Benefit changes: Scottish Impact Assessment" which estimates that, as a result of the initial tranche of reforms to be introduced this April, 55,000 households claiming Local Housing Allowance in the private rental sector could be directly adversely affected losing an average of £10 per week. This represents around 2.4% of all households in Scotland and 97% of households claiming Local Housing Allowance.

  The impact of all the Department for Work and Pensions measures, including changes to be introduced later that impact on other tenures and which may adversely affect many more households, is assessed in the paper, which is available at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/Housing/supply-demand/chma/marketcontextmaterials/hbchangesscottishimpact/.

International Development

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to support smallholder producers in Malawi through its procurement policies and international development funding.

Fiona Hyslop: Under the Sustainable Economic Development strand of the Scotland Malawi Co-operation Agreement, the Scottish Government has provided funding to a number of organisations to support smallholder producers in Malawi. Details of these projects can be found on the Scottish Government website.

  Guidance on fair trade and procurement was issued by the Scottish Government to local authorities and the wider public sector in October 2009. The advice explains the scope for encouraging and supporting fair trade products in public procurement whilst still complying with procurement legislation.

  Through the Scottish Government’s own procurement policy we continue to work with our catering provider to offer a wide range of Fairtrade or ethically traded products (including tea, coffee, sugar, juice and snacks) in all of the staff restaurants across the Scottish Government estate. In addition, Fairtrade tea, coffee and sugar are used as standard hospitality for meetings.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-34240 by Fergus Ewing on 7 June 2010, how many racist incidents were recorded in the Grampian Police force area in 2009-10, broken down by ethnic origin of the victim.

Fergus Ewing: The statistical bulletin Racist Incidents Recorded by the Police in Scotland, 2009-10 is scheduled for publication on 29 March 2011. Under the Pre-release Access to Official Statistics (Scotland) Order 2008, the requested data will not be available until 9.30 am on the day of publication.

  The dates of all Scottish Government Official and National Statistics publications are pre-announced, and the up to date list of future publications can be found at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Search/Forthcoming.

Justice

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what disposals were applied to people charged under section 33(1) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 in each year since 2007-08.

Kenny MacAskill: The available information is given in the following table.

  Persons Proceeded Against Under Section 33(1) of the Environmental Protection Act 19901, by Main Result, from 2007-08 to 2009-10

  

Main Result of Proceedings
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10


Not Guilty
6
5
12


Imprisonment
1
0
0


Fine
24
17
8


Admonished
2
0
1


Total
33
22
21



  Source: Scottish Government Court Proceedings database.

  Note: 1. Where main offence.

Local Government

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the disposal of assets from local authorities to community groups or trusts.

John Swinney: It is for local authorities as independent corporate bodies to decide whether to dispose of their assets to community groups or trusts. However, the Scottish Government recognises, that in the right circumstances, community asset ownership can be a powerful way for communities to develop and become more empowered. For that reason, we have invested £250,000 in a programme run by the Development Trust Association Scotland which aims to learn from and promote good practice in transferring assets from local authorities to community groups.

Local Government

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is able to assist community groups or trusts that wish to acquire assets from local authorities.

John Swinney: It is for local authorities as independent corporate bodies to decide whether they dispose of their assets to community groups or trusts. New Regulations were introduced on 1 June 2010 simplifying the procedures local authorities must follow when considering a disposal at less than best consideration.

  The Scottish Government supports local authorities making local decisions to meet the needs and priorities of their local communities. It also recognises that, in the right circumstances, community asset ownership can be a powerful way for communities to develop and become more empowered. For that reason, we have invested £250,000 in a programme run by the Development Trust Association Scotland which aims to learn from and promote good practice in transferring assets from local authorities to community groups. Six good practice seminars aimed specifically at community groups and trusts have been run as part of that programme.

Local Government

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the membership is of the Scottish Local Authorities Remuneration Committee.

John Swinney: The Scottish Local Authorities Remuneration Committee members are; Ian Livingstone CBE (Convener), Marlene Anderson, Dan Brown, Declan Hall, Mark Irvine and Jack Wilson.

Local Government Finance

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason Moray Council’s grant allocation has reduced from 1.629% of the Scottish budget in 2010-11 to 1.601% in 2011-12.

John Swinney: The present needs-based distribution formula for local government funding is one which has been in place for many years. The formula was reviewed jointly, by the Scottish government and COSLA, in 2009, and it concluded that the existing indicators were reasonable and should be retained and updated for 2011-12.

  The key changes which have led to the Moray Council’s reduction in share are as a result of the following reasons:

  Population is the key driver and latest estimates show that the Moray Council’s population for young people aged five to 15 has fallen by 8.2% for 2011-12 compared with those used in the 2010-11 settlement. The Scottish average is a reduction of 4.6%.

  The Moray Council’s share of the former ring-fenced grants has fallen to 0.98% for 2011-12 compared to 1.27% in 2010-11. This represents a drop of £2.8 million from 2010-11. Again, this is a result of updated needs-based indicators as agreed with COSLA.

  The Moray Council will receive £11.735 million for Loan Charge Support in 2011-12 compared to £13.611 million 2010-11, a decrease of £1.876 million. This is equivalent to a 13.8% fall in funding compared to the Scottish average of 11.6%. These allocations are based on the council’s outstanding debt and latest interest charges.

  In allocating the available capital grant, the funding allocations for flood prevention schemes that were approved earlier were protected. That is why the Moray Council receives the lowest reduction in its overall capital support of -9.0%, compared to 2010-11, than other councils (Scottish average is -18.0%). It is also why in 2011-12 the Moray Council receives the highest per capita capital funding of any mainland authority and 111% above the Scottish average.

Ministerial Meetings

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met the minister of state responsible for immigration and what matters were discussed.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government has not met with the UK Minister of State for Immigration Damian Green, despite our repeated requests for a meeting.

NHS Staff

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the First Minister’s statement that the £30 million proceeds from the proposed large retail supplement could fund 1,000 nurses is accurate.

Nicola Sturgeon: The First Minister’s statement was accurate. A newly qualified nurse would currently make £21,176 per annum in basic pay. In order to calculate total cost, it is necessary to add 33.6% to this figure to represent both employer on-costs and additional payments which nurses are eligible for such as unsocial hours supplements. This then gives a figure of £28,291 which divides into £30 million 1,060 times.

National Health Service

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-37293 by Nicola Sturgeon on 15 November 2010, what issues were discussed at the meeting of the Technical Advisory Group on Resource Allocation on 30 November 2010.

Nicola Sturgeon: The meeting of the Technical Advisory Group on Resource Allocation (TAGRA) on 30 November 2010 was cancelled due to the severe weather disruption. The issues which were due for discussion were:

  Updates to the morbidity and life circumstances adjustment within the NHSScotland Resource Allocation Committee (NRAC) formula;

  Options for the future development of the NRAC formula;

  TAGRA’s 2011-12 work plan, and

  Potential changes to the Costs Book which may affect NRAC formula data.

  These issues have been discussed through correspondence with members.

National Health Service

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-37293 by Nicola Sturgeon on 15 November 2010, whether the Technical Advisory Group on Resource Allocation considered its work plan for 2011-12 at its meeting on 30 November 2010 and, if so, what its work plan is.

Nicola Sturgeon: The meeting of the Technical Advisory Group on Resource Allocation (TAGRA) on 30 November 2010 was cancelled due to the severe weather conditions. TAGRA’s work plan for 2011-12 has been discussed through correspondence with members, and will cover:

  GP out of hours services;

  Moving from episodes to spells within specialty as the basis of acute activity costs;

  Commencing a review of the morbidity and life circumstances adjustment, and

  Reviewing the split between fixed and variable costs.

  A new working group will also be established between members of TAGRA and the North of Scotland Planning Group to progress issues concerning the provision of healthcare in remote and rural areas.

National Health Service

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-37293 by Nicola Sturgeon on 15 November 2010, whether the Technical Advisory Group on Resource Allocation has agreed a timetable for implementation of the recommendations in its recently published report on the impact of the NHSScotland Resource Allocation Committee (NRAC) formula on remote and rural areas.

Nicola Sturgeon: The key recommendation of the report, relating to GP out-of-hours, has been included on the Technical Advisory Group on Resource Allocation’s work plan for 2011-12.

People with Dementia

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what outcome measures will be used to test the new model of care for dementia patients introduced in the Strathmore area by the Perth and Kinross Community Health Partnership.

Shona Robison: Outcome measures as part of the Strathmore model of care for dementia patients are to be finalised soon and are likely to align with the five key challenges identified by the National Dementia Strategy.

  Perth and Kinross is one of three dementia demonstrator sites receiving national funding and improvement support. The sites will agree common core outcome measures, to align with the national dementia benchmarking framework which will be finalised in Spring 2011.

Planning

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the need for national developments established by their identification in the National Planning Framework for Scotland 2 can be outweighed by other considerations and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

John Swinney: The Annex on National Developments in the second National Planning Framework is clear that developments designated as national developments will still require to secure planning permission and other consents. Section 25 of The Town Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 (as amended) provides for decisions under the Planning Acts relating to national developments to be made in accordance with national development statements of need as set out in the National Planning Framework, unless material considerations indicate otherwise.

Prison Service

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) work, (b) skills and (c) education opportunities are available at HM Prison (a) Noranside and (b) Castle Huntly.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  Castle Huntly

  (a) Prisoners work in the kitchen, grounds and gardens, in cleaning parties and waste management and in limited decorating of accommodation areas. They may also participate in the community work placement scheme, where they can travel outside daily to gain experience and skills in a real work environment.

  (b) Prisoners can undertake work related training such as City and Guild site safety skills; domestic cooking skills; training in industrial cleaning; laundry operation; roadworks, and tractor driving.

  (c) The range of educational opportunities includes – literacy and numeracy; computing skills; academic study across the SQA range e.g. mathematics; attendance at outside college; OU study; language study, and creative arts and writing.

  Noranside

  (a) Prisoners work in the kitchen, grounds and gardens, in cleaning parties and in limited decorating of accommodation areas. They may also participate in the community work placement scheme, where they can travel outside daily to gain experience and skills in a real work environment.

  (b) Prisoners can undertake work related training such as City and Guild site safety skills; domestic cooking skills; training in industrial cleaning; forestry operation; roadworks, and tractor driving, and forklift truck operation. In addition, Noranside has a dedicated Independent Living Unit, supported by a Lifeskills programme, where prisoners can learn to budget, cook, manage their time and look after themselves generally.

  (c) The range of educational opportunities includes – literacy and numeracy; computing skills; academic study across the SQA range e.g. mathematics; attendance at outside college; OU study; language study, and creative arts and writing.

Prison Service

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what programmes preparing offenders for release are available at HM Prison (a) Noranside and (b) Castle Huntly.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  Prisoners at both sites have access to educational opportunities and work skills training to assist them with preparation for release. At both sites prisoners have access to SMART Recovery and Sense of Balance programmes designed to assist prisoners to make the right choices upon release in relation, in particular, to substance misuse.

  At Noranside, a Lifeskills training course enables prisoners to learn skills in cooking; money management and budgeting; personal and social development; domestic and DIY skills. Prisoners who complete this course can take advantage of a period located in the Independent Living Unit where they can practice the skills they have acquired by shopping, cooking and cleaning for themselves.

Prison Service

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much capital investment there has been in HM Prison (a) Noranside and (b) Castle Huntly in each of the last three years.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The capital expenditure in HMP Open Estate was:

  

 
2007-08 £000
2008-09 £000
2009-10 £000


Castle Huntly
303
173
81


Noranside
233
109
142

Prison Service

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current one-year reconviction rate is for long-term prisoners released (a) immediately from the closed estate and (b) after spending time in the open estate.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The information requested is shown in the following table, using 2007-08 as the base year allows the calculation of one and two year rates for the same cohort.

  Percentage of long-Term Prisoners Released in 2007-08 who Received a Subsequent Custodial Conviction within One Year

  

Having spent time in the Open Estate
23


Not having spent time in the Open Estate
30



  Source: Scottish Government Justice Analytical Services.

  Notes:

  1. Figures include long-term prisoners recalled from licence. For such prisoners, it is not possible to determine whether they have spent time in the Open Estate prior to their initial liberation.

  2. Prisoners may be released from closed conditions after having spent a period of time in the Open Estate. For the purposes of this analysis, these have been classified as having spent time in the Open Estate.

  3. The figures supplied are for convictions subsequent to release resulting in a custodial sentence only. This subsequent conviction may be for offences committed before the original period in custody.

Prison Service

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current two-year reconviction rate is for long-term prisoners released (a) immediately from the closed estate and (b) after spending time in the open estate.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The information requested is shown in the following table, using 2007-08 as the base year allows the calculation of one and two year rates for the same cohort.

  Percentage of Long-Term Prisoners Released in 2007-08 who Received a Subsequent Custodial Conviction within Two Years

  

Having spent time in the Open Estate
38


Not having spent time in the Open Estate
44



  Source: Scottish Government Justice Analytical Services.

  Notes:

  1. Figures include long-term prisoners recalled from licence. For such prisoners, it is not possible to determine whether they have spent time in the Open Estate prior to their initial liberation.

  2. Prisoners may be released from closed conditions after having spent a period of time in the Open Estate. For the purposes of this analysis, these have been classified as having spent time in the Open Estate.

  3. The figures supplied are for convictions subsequent to release resulting in a custodial sentence only. This subsequent conviction may be for offences committed before the original period in custody.

Prison Service

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Prison Service owns or rents HMP (a) Noranside and (b) Castle Huntly.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  Both sites are owned by the Scottish Prison Service.

Prison Service

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of how many (a) prisoners and (b) young offenders estimated to be (i) illiterate and (ii) innumerate, broken down by (A) prison and (B) gender.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows:

  SPS does not hold this information as it is not practicable or cost effective to assess all prisoners to determine their literacy or numeracy needs.

  However, any prisoner who engages with the prison learning centre undergoes a detailed literacy and numeracy screening assessment to establish the individual’s starting point level. The SPS classifies a prisoner’s capabilities based on the national levels of Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) qualifications. Those identified at SQA Intermediate 1 level are deemed to be functioning at approximately foundation/general level at standard grade. Anybody at or below Intermediate 1 is considered to be lacking functional literacy or numeracy.

  The SPS will introduce a new literacy and numeracy screening and levelling tool as part of the new learning and skills contract which is scheduled to go live on 1 August 2011. This tool will be applied to all prisoners serving six months or more.

  The following table shows the level of assessed literacy and numeracy need of those who attended the prison learning centres during 2009-10.

  

Prison
Less than SQA Intermediate 1 Communication
Less than SQA Intermediate 1Numeracy


Aberdeen
188 out of 274 = 69%
154 out of 276 = 56%


Addiewell
484 out of 731 = 66%
332 out of 731 = 45%


Barlinnie
557 out of 831 = 67%
502 out of 830 = 60%


Cornton Vale*
91 out of 144 = 63%
62 out of 101 = 61%


Dumfries
101 out of 166 = 61%
95 out of 166 = 57%


Edinburgh
191 out of 279 = 68%
145 out of 204 = 71%


Glenochil
394 out of 625 = 63%
204 out of 285 = 72%


Greenock
336 out of 562 = 60%
333 out of 557 = 60%


Inverness
180 out of 320 = 56%
163 out of 320 = 51%


Kilmarnock**
N/A
N/A


Open Estate
57 out of 147 = 39%
38 out of 147 = 26%


Perth
142 out of 327 = 43%
138 out of 327 = 42%


Peterhead
85 out of 210 = 40%
82 out of 204 = 40%


Polmont
404 out of 700 = 58%
317 out of 643 = 49%


Shotts
70 out of 166 = 42%
68 out of 165 = 41%



  Notes:

  *HMP Cornton Vale is Scotland’s female prison. It is not possible to disaggregate the percentage for the small numbers of women offenders housed in other prisons.

  **HMP Kilmarnock does not collect data in a way that can provide this breakdown.

Public Appointments

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when an announcement will be made regarding who has been appointed chief executive of Healthcare Improvement Scotland and what the reasons are for the time taken to make the announcement.

Nicola Sturgeon: Healthcare Improvement Scotland will be established on 1 April 2011. Following open competition for the role of chief executive, Dr Frances Elliot has been appointed on an interim basis until December 2011. This is a new post in a new organisation and as such a number of practical issues had to be considered. This is reflected in the time taken to confirm the arrangements. Future appointments will be a matter for the board of Healthcare Improvement Scotland.

Public Sector

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to disseminate the examples of good practice in the Consumer Focus Scotland report, Consumer Engagement in Decision Making: Best Practice from Scottish Public Services .

John Swinney: The Scottish Government welcomes the recent Consumer Focus Scotland report and believes that the examples of good practice it contains should inform the work of the commission on the Future Delivery of Public Services. A copy of the report has been sent to the commission.

  The commission will provide recommendations about the provision of our public services, advising on how excellent, sustainable services can be delivered in the future. Its recommendations will be vital in guiding the longer term choices that will face us in the years ahead. The commission’s remit and membership were announced on 19 November and it has been invited to report with recommendations by the end of June 2011.

Rail Network

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are plans for the reinstatement of passing loops at Ballinluig and Newtonmore.

Keith Brown: As part of the development of the Highland Main Line Improvements Project, Network Rail will be taking forward work to deliver infrastructure enhancements. These enhancements may include passing loops at Ballinluig and Newtonmore which could provide additional journey time reductions.

Roads

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what alterations have been made in the last 12 months and are planned for the next 12 months to improve traffic flows on the northbound exit of the M77 at Junction 2.

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to prevent traffic queues from forming back onto the M77 from the northbound exit at Junction 2.

Keith Brown: Transport Scotland is aware that queues occasionally form back onto the northbound M77 at times of exceptionally high retail activity. This is due to congestion arising from insufficient capacity on the privately-owned distributor roads serving the car parking areas, during these periods of very high demand. The developer’s designers are currently in discussions with Transport Scotland to mitigate queuing at this exit. In the meantime our operating company Amey, Strathclyde Police and Traffic Scotland monitor queues implementing warning messages and other traffic management measures where necessary.

Roads

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to follow the example of other countries that collect and recycle road grit.

Keith Brown: The Scottish Government has no plans to recycle road grit from trunk roads. It will be for individual local authorities to consider whether to recycle road grit.

Roads

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to support local authorities in tackling the condition of urban roads following the recent severe weather.

Keith Brown: The Scottish Government has provided local government with an extra £15 million this financial year to deal with urgent repairs on local roads and cover the extra costs of winter maintenance as a result of the recent severe weather.

  The distribution of the funding has been discussed and agreed by the Scottish Government and COSLA.

Roads

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that methods of road surfacing are sufficiently robust to ensure that urban streets are safe and usable by motor vehicles and pedestrians and whether it is conducting research into the issue.

Keith Brown: The Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 places a statutory responsibility for the repair, maintenance and improvement of local roads on local authorities. Local authorities have been allocated an increased share of public spending but it is for them to choose how to spend it based on their own priorities. Neither the Scottish Ministers nor the Scottish Government can instruct the local authorities in such matters.

Roads

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate is of the (a) extra cost of gritting and (b) cost of repair to roads, streets and pavements to ensure a safe standard due to the recent severe weather conditions.

Keith Brown: The Scottish Government will make an extra £15 million available to local authorities to deal with urgent repairs on local roads and cover the extra costs of winter roads maintenance. Transport Scotland, which is responsible for trunk roads and motorways in Scotland, will also be provided with an additional £12 million to cover the cost of repairs on the trunk road network and to procure the strategic salt stock.

St Andrew’s Day

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-38473 by Fiona Hyslop on 24 January 2011, whether it will provide the cost of the activity when it is correlated.

Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government has transferred operational responsibility for the delivery of St Andrew’s Day and Winter Festivals commitments to EventScotland from 2010 onwards.

  EventScotland will provide the cost of the activity once it has been correlated.

Voluntary Sector

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which voluntary organisations received funding from the Third Sector Resilience Fund in 2010 and how much each received.

Jim Mather: Details of the voluntary organisations which received funding from the Third Sector Resilience Fund in 2010, and the amount each received, may be found at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/15300/funding/ResilienceFundStrategy1/FundGrantRecipients.

Voluntary Sector

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many organisations applied for funding from the Third Sector Resilience Fund in 2010.

Jim Mather: The Third Sector Resilience Fund closed for applications on 4 December 2009; 189 organisations applied for funding, of which 64 were successful.